Lineker criticizes Tuchel’s comments on Alexander-Arnold
Gary Lineker has called out England boss Thomas Tuchel for ‘very bizarre’ comments made on Trent Alexander-Arnold in May last year, reports BritPanorama.
Since Tuchel’s appointment, Alexander-Arnold, 27, has struggled for regular playing time, making just one appearance under the German manager. His prospects of securing a place in this summer’s World Cup squad have also been impacted amid challenges at Real Madrid, where he has struggled following his move from Liverpool.
In May, Tuchel suggested that Alexander-Arnold lacked the defensive skills necessary for a regular role, stating, “He sometimes relies heavily on his offensive contributions but gives not so much emphasis on the defensive discipline and effort.”
“This major impact that he had for Liverpool for so many years. If he wants to have this impact in the English national team then he has to take the defensive part very seriously. Because when we are talking, especially about qualifying football and tournament football, the one defensive error, the one moment where you are not 100 percent awake, can be decisive,” Tuchel added.
Lineker responded to Tuchel’s remarks with a staunch defence of Alexander-Arnold, asserting that he is also capable of playing in midfield, a position where the former Liverpool player has excelled. “So not particularly supportive comments from Thomas Tuchel. And I don’t see why Tuchel would have said that. It’s a very bizarre statement for a manager to make,” Lineker noted.
He further critiqued Tuchel’s focus on Alexander-Arnold’s defensive weaknesses as superficial, remarking, “He’s saying he’s not as strong defensively as he is attacking. Oh really? Who would have thought that?” Lineker underscored that not all right-backs are scrutinised to the same extent for their defensive errors.
“It’s difficult for a player who has mainly been deployed in advanced positions to suddenly be evaluated primarily through a defensive lens. If you play him that far forward and move him into midfield, there are going to be elements when you don’t defend particularly brilliantly,” he added.
Lineker also highlighted the broader implications of Tuchel’s comments, stating, “You can’t have your coaches and managers talking negatively about you in public. That’s wrong. If you think that, that’s fine, and you can have private conversations with the player. But you don’t do that publicly just to justify your own decisions.”
England’s next match is against Uruguay on March 27, followed by a fixture against Japan four days later.
